by Sean Pratt | May 22, 2025 | General
by Sean Pratt | Jan 29, 2025 | General
SBIFF Presents ANORA X Kodak Short Film Showcase Curated by Sean Baker FREE ADMISSION Wednesday, February 12 – 5:00pm Arlington Theatre 1317 State St The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is proud to host a special presentation of short films on... by Sean Pratt | Jan 17, 2025 | General
Below is the list of feature and short films at the 2025 SBIFF. For the complete list of films, synopses, and other special events please visit the SBIFF app. A printed program guide will be available February 4th. SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL PRESENTED... by Sean Pratt | Oct 10, 2024 | General
SBIFF ANNOUNCES PLAN TO OPEN NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FILM CENTER IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SANTA BARBARA We are excited to announce that after successful negotiations with the City of Santa Barbara and its City Council, and pending final adoption of the ordinance approving... by Sean Pratt | Aug 6, 2024 | General
Below are the answers to the questions we have been receiving about how the new Riviera Pass will work for the 2025 SBIFF. If you have any more questions, please let us know. What is the Riviera Theatre? It is SBIFF’s year-round home which was remodeled to be state of... by Sean Pratt | Feb 26, 2024 | General
PAST SBIFF DIGITAL PROGRAM GUIDES 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017... by Sean Pratt | Jan 16, 2024 | General
Below is the list of feature and short films at the 2024 SBIFF. For the complete list of films, synopses, and other special events please visit the SBIFF app. A printed program guide will be available February 6th. * * * 39TH FESTIVAL OPENS WITH THE WORLD PREMIERE OF... by Sean Pratt | Nov 28, 2023 | General
by Sean Pratt | Nov 10, 2023 | General
by Sean Pratt | Sep 1, 2023 | General
by Sean Pratt | Feb 22, 2023 | General
We are excited to announce the award-winning films for the 38th edition. Awards were announced and given out at a ceremony on Saturday February 18th hosted by El Encanto, a Belmond Hotel, in Santa Barbara with Jury and Filmmakers in attendance. “This 38th... by Sean Pratt | Feb 6, 2023 | General
SBIFF provides FREE award-winning and critically acclaimed films DAILY. Admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis following passholder admission. DUNE: PART TWO Wednesday, February 5 – 11:00 AM – Arlington Theatre Animation Panel Wednesday,... by Sean Pratt | Oct 28, 2022 | General
by Sean Pratt | Aug 10, 2022 | General
by Sean Pratt | Nov 30, 2021 | General
by Sean Pratt | Aug 16, 2021 | General
by Sean Pratt | May 28, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “What’s past is prologue.” A year ago, on May 25, 2020, Darnella Frazier, a 17-year old, took a video with her cellphone and changed the world. The Minneapolis police had given an ambiguous account of George Floyd’s death, and if it hadn’t been for... by Sean Pratt | May 26, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “The reality is that we do not wash our own laundry – it just gets dirtier.” When I first came to the United States to study in 1978, I had a poster of “Serpico” (1973) the way that Tony Manero had one in his bedroom in “Saturday Night Fever”... by Sean Pratt | May 23, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “Oh, I lie now and then, I suppose. Sometimes I’d tell them the truth and they still wouldn’t believe me, so I prefer to lie.” François Truffaut’s “The 400 Blows” has been so much written about that I don’t know what else I can add to the... by Sean Pratt | May 21, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “They’re not what you think they are. They’re faster. They’re organized.” Ever since 1968 and the release of George Romero’s classic “Night of the Living Dead,” the popularity of the Zombie genre has been growing. Prior, there had been films with... by Sean Pratt | May 19, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, Connor: “My dad said if anything happened to him, to find someone I could trust.” Hannah: “I’m absolutely someone you can trust.” I don’t think I’ve been this excited about a brand-new release for a very long time. Could it have been propelled by the... by Sean Pratt | May 16, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “When you have a big human interest story, you’ve got to give it a big human interest ending. When you get people steamed up like this, don’t ever make suckers out of them.” For someone who has relished in cinema since he was born, I have... by Sean Pratt | May 14, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “What happened, happened. It’s an expression of faith in the mechanics of the world. It’s not an excuse for doing nothing.” Kudos to Christopher Nolan for being adamant about having his film “Tenet” (2020) get a theatrical release — and... by Sean Pratt | May 12, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “What’s wrong dude?! Ain’t you never seen a sunset?!“ One of the things I’ve missed the most since our imposed hibernation of the past year set in has been visiting New York City. Because of business relating to the festival and my involvement on the... by Sean Pratt | May 9, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “And then the good Lord went on to say, ‘Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.’” What is it about serial killer movies that has... by Sean Pratt | May 7, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “Okay, here’s the Story. I come from the gutter. I know that. I got no education, but that’s okay. I know the street, and I’m making all the right connections. With the right woman, there’s no stopping. I could go right to the top.” I... by Sean Pratt | May 5, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, Anna Scott : “Her most famous part. Men went to bed with the dream; they didn’t like it when they would wake up with the reality. Do you feel that way?” William : “You are lovelier this morning than you have ever been.” I’ve definitely grown... by Sean Pratt | May 2, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “Look at her, a prisoner of the gutters, condemned by every syllable she utters. By right she should be taken out and hung for the cold-blooded murder of the English tongue!” One of my favorite moments in cinema can be found in George Cukor’s still... by Sean Pratt | Apr 30, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “We haven’t hung in five years. This weekend is about us. We are here together. Today is the last day that we will ever be this young.” In 2018, I hosted a Q&A with the talent for George Tillman Jr.’s “The Hate U Give” at the Riviera Theatre. One... by Sean Pratt | Apr 28, 2021 | Film Recommendations
Dear Cinephiles, “What I see nobody else sees. It frightens me.” I have always found comfort in the work of great filmmakers, journeying through their vision as it unfolds in front of my eyes. For me, there’s a vicarious aspect to this because I’ve never longed to...
